Oxo Tower Wharf

Originally a power station, later a reprocessing plant owned by the Oxo Company, the bold, Art Deco Oxo Tower was marked out as ripe for demolition in the 1980s. Opposition prevented its destruction and the site was redeveloped in the 1990s as a multifaceted venue, with its architectural heritage still in tact. Oxo had wanted to adorn the tower with illuminated signs advertising the name of their product. When this proposal was rejected, the tower was built with four sets of three vertically-aligned windows, each of which happened to be in the shapes of a circle, a cross and a circle. Today the illuminated OXO makes the tower visible for miles around. Flanked by two green open parks, visitors can follow a riverside walk up to the tower's refurbished doors to explore the shops, restaurants (including the Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar & Brasserie), galleries, cafes and studios that populate its once empty, vacuous rooms. The best way to experience the Oxo Tower is as part of a leisurely riverside stroll along the South Bank; taking in Tate Modern, Shakespeare's Globe Theatre, Gabriel's Wharf and the many pubs and sights that adorn the banks of the Thames.

Best for:
Riverside views from public viewing platform on 8th floor.